NAGOYA — Nguyễn Thị Tâm claimed a historic silver medal in the women's 51kg boxing category at the 20th Asian Games on Friday, capping a remarkable comeback after three years of treatment and rehabilitation for a serious knee injury.

The Vietnamese boxer lost 0-5 to Chinese Olympic champion Wu Yu in the final at Nishio Gymnasium, but her achievement in reaching the gold medal bout marked a new milestone for Vietnamese boxing at the continental Games.

Wu, the Paris 2024 Olympic champion, controlled the contest with her speed, accurate punches and ability to put pressure on her opponent. Tân tried to maintain her distance and look for opportunities to counter, but struggled to find openings against the world-class Chinese boxer.

After three rounds, all five judges awarded the victory to Wu, with four scoring the bout 30-27 and the other 29-28.

Despite the defeat, Tâm's silver is the first Asian Games silver medal ever won by a boxer from Việt Nam.

The 32-year-old secured her place in the final with an impressive 5-0 victory over Kazakhstan's Alua Balkibekova in the semi-finals. Balkibekova is a two-time world champion and one of the leading boxers in the 51kg division.

Tâm's achievement is particularly significant, given the long road she has travelled since suffering a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

The injury kept her away from international competition for more than two years and forced her to undergo surgery, rehabilitation and intensive training. During that period, she admitted that there were times when she considered ending her career.

“I am very happy to return after three years of injury treatment and regain my form to achieve this result,” Tâm said after the final.

She also credited her coaches, medical staff, family and Vietnamese sports authorities for supporting her recovery, particularly during a training camp that lasted more than a month before the Asian Games.

During her absence from international competition, Tâm continued to follow major boxing events and study her potential opponents. She said she had closely watched Wu's fights and admired the Chinese boxer's speed and intelligent style.

Tâm also dedicated her medal to her late father, saying the achievement fulfilled a promise to return to competition and continue her career.

The silver medal adds to Tâm's Asian Games record after she won bronze at the 2018 Games in Jakarta. She had also won Asian titles in 2017 and 2022 and became the first Vietnamese boxer to win a world championship silver medal in 2023. — VNS